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About Daily chronicle & sentinel. (Augusta, Ga.) 1837-1876 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 2, 1848)
CHRONICLE & SENTINEL by J. W. & w. S. JONES. PAIX.T, ™ .-WEEttU WEEKLY orF , CE TRRMS — OaUyP*pe r > per annum, in advance* *slo Tri- Weekly P«P=r, “ (a mammoth sheet) •• 4 CASH SYSTEM. —In no case will an order for Hip per be attended to, unless nccornpanied with the money, and in every instancewhen thetime for which any subscription may be paid, expires before tbe re ceipt of suds to renew the same, the paper wi >e discontinued. Depreciated funds received at va uem this city. Tlie Alleghany Range In North Carolina. We find the following interesting communi cation from Hon. Mr. Clingman. Member of Congress from North Carolina, in the Na tional Intelligencer . Ashville, (N. C.) Oct. 14, 1848. Gentlemen: —As you have recently been publishing a series of letters in relation to that portion of the Alleghany range which is situated in North Carolina, you may, perhaps, find matter of interest in the subject of this commu nication. My purpose in making it is not only to present to the consideration of those learn ed or curious in geology, facts singular and in teresting in themselves, but also, by means of your widely disseminated paper, to stimulate an inquiry as to whether similar phenomena have been observed in any other parts of the Alleghany range. A number of persons had stated to me that at different periods, within the recollection of persons now living, a portion of certain moun tain in Haywood county, had been violently • agitated and broken to pieces. The first of those shocks remembered by any person / have seen occurred just prior to the last war with England, in the year 1811 or 18J2. Since then some Haifa dozen or more Lave been no ticed. The latest occurred something more than three years ago, on a clear summer morn ing. These shocks have usually occurred, or at least been more frequently observed in calm weather. They have generally been heard dis tinctly by persons in the town of Waynesville, some twenty miles off. The sound is described as resembling the rumbling of distant thunder, but no shaking of the earth is felt at that dis tance. In the immediate vicinity of the moun tain, and for four or five miles around, this sound is accompanied by a slight trembling of the earth, which continues as long as the sound lasts—that is lor one or two minutes. After each of these shocks, the mountain was found to be freshly rent and broken in various places. Having an opportunity afforded me a few days since, I paid a visit to the locality, and de voted a few hours to a hurried examination.— It is situated in the northeastern section of Haywood county, near the section of Fine’s Creek. The bed of the little creek at the moun tain is probably elevated at some twenty-six or seven hundred feet above the level of the ocean. The valley oflhe French Broad at the Warm Springs, some fifteen miles distant, is twelve hundred miles lower. They are sepa rated, however, by a mountain ridge of more than four thousand feet elevation above the sea, and there are high mountains in all directions around the locality in question. The immedi ate object of interest is the western termination of a mountain ridge nearly half a mile to the east of the Ho us 3 of Mr. Rogers. The top of this ridge, at the place where it has been re cently convulsed, is some three or four hun dred feet above the creek, at its western extre mity, hut it rises rapidly for some distance as it goes off to the eastward to wards the higher mountain range. The northern side of this ridge I had not time to examine, but the marks of violence are observable at the top of the ridge, and extend in a direction nearly due south, down the side of the mountain four or five hundred yards, to a branch ; thence across it, over a fiat or gentle slope, and up the side of the next ridge as far as I went, being for three or four hundred yards. The tract of ground examined by me was perhaps half a mile in length, from north to south. The breadth of the surface subjected to violence was no where more than two hundred yards, and gen erally rsther less than one hundred. Along this space the ground lias been rent in vari ous places. The fissures or cracks most fre quently run in a northern and southern direc tion, and towards the tops of the mountains, but they are often at right angles to these, and in fact some may be sou nd in all directions.— While some of them are so narrow as to be barely visible, others are three or four feet in width. The annual falling of the leaves and the washing of the rains has filled them so that at no place are they more than five or six feet in depth. Along this tract all the large trees have been thrown down, and are lying in va rious directions, some of them six feet in diam eter. One large poplar, which stood directly over one of the fissures, vves clefi open, and one half of the trunk, to the height of more than twenty feet, is still standing. Though the fissure, which passed directly under i‘s centre, is not more than an inch in width, it may be observed for nearly a hundred yards. All the roots of trees which crossed the line’s fracture are broken. The rocks are also cloven by these lines. The lop of the ridge, which seems origi nally to have been an entire mass of granite, is broken in places. Not only have those mas ses of rock, which are chiefly underground, been cleft open, but fragments lying on the surface have been shattered. All those persons who have visited it after a convulsion concur in saying that every fallen tree and rock had been moved. The smallest fragments have been thrown from their beds as though they had been lifted up. In confirmation of this statement I observed that a large block of granite, of an oblong form, which, from its size, must have weighed not less than two thousand tons, had been broken into three pieces of nearly equal size. This mass was lying loosely on the top of the ground, in a place nearly level, and there were no signs of its having rolled or slidden. — The fragments were separated only a few in ches,rendering it almost certain that it had been broken by a sudden shock or jaY, which did not continue long enough to throw the pieces far apart. Some parts of the surface of the earth have sunk down irregularly a few feet, other por tions have been raised. There are a number of little elevations or hillocks, some of a few feet only in extent, and others twenty and thirty yards over. The largest rise at the centre to the height of eight or ten feet, and slope grad ually down; some of these have been sur rounded on all sides by a fissure, which is not yet entirely filled up. In some instances.the trees on their sides, none of them large, are bent considerably from the perpend cular, showing that they had obtained some size be fore the change of level took place on the sur face where they grow. 1 he sides ot the mountain generally are cov ered by a good vegetable mould, not particu larly rocky, and sustaining trees of large size. But along the belt of convulsion the rocks are much more abundant, and there areonly young trees growing, the elasticity of which enabled them to stand during the shocks. With reference to the mineral structure of the locality, it may be remarked that that entire section seems to constitute a hypogene forma tion. It consists of granites, gneiss, sometimes porphyritic, hornblend rock, micaceous schists, clay slate, and various other rnetamorphic stra ta. The nearest squeous rocks that I know of are the conglomerate sandstone and sedimen tary limestone, in the vicinity of the Warm Springs, fifteen milesdistant in a direct line. — If any volcanic rock has been found in hun dreds of miles 1 am not aware of it. The mountainitself bears the most indubitable marks ol platonic origin. It conrists mainiy of a grayish white granite, in which the felspar greatiy predominates, but it is sometimes ren dered dark by an excess of mica in minute black scales. This latter mineral 1 saw also there in small rather irregular crystals. Some portions of the rock contained, however, its three ingredients, in nearly equal proportions; the quartz, in color, frequently approaching ash gray. In several place*! observed that the granite was cut vertically by veins of gray trans lucent quartz, of from one to six inches in thickness. There were also lying in places on the ground lumps of common opaque white quartz, intersected by narrow veins, not ex ceeding half an inch in thickness, of specular iron, of the highest degree of brilliancy and hardness that that mineral is capable of pos sessing. It may be remarked that there are in different directions within two miles of the lo cality, two considerable deposites of magnetic iron ore. The only rock which I observed there possessing any appearance of stratifica tion seems to consist of mica, hornblende, and a little felspar, in a state of intimate mixture.— Having but a few hours to remain there, Ido not pretend that there are not many other mine rals at the locality; but I have no doubt but that the predominating character of the formation is such as I have endeavored to describe it, and I have been thus minute in order that others may be able to judge more accurately in relation to the cause of the disturbances. Before visiting the locality I supposed that the phenomena might be produced by the giv ing way of some part of the base of the monn tain, so as to produce a sinking or sliding of the parts ; but a moment’s examination was deci sive on that point. It not unfrequently hap pens that aqueous rocks rest on beds of clay, gravel, &c., which may be removed from un derneath them by the action of running water or other causes. Cavities are thus produced, and it sometimes happens that considerable bodies of secondary limestone and other sedi mentary strata sink down with a violent shock. This, however, is found to be true only ofsuch strata as are deposited from water. But at the locality under consideration the rocks are ex clusively of igneous origin, and I add, two of the class termed hypogene or *• weather formed.' 1 For though feldspar and hornblende have been found in the lower part ofsome of the lavas, where the mass had been subjected to greaj pressure and evolved slowly, yet quartz and mica have never been found as constituents of any volcanic rock, not even in the basaltic dikes and injected traps, where there must have been a pressure equal to several hundred atmos pheres. It is universally conceded by geolo gists that those rocks of which these minerals constitute a principalpart, have been produced at great depths in the earth where they were subjected to enormous pressure during their slow evolving and chrystalizalion. Prior, therefore, to the denudation which has exposed these masses of granite to our view, they must have been overlaid and pressed down while in a fluid state by superincumbent strata ol great thickness and vast weight. It is not probable, therefore, that any cavities could exist, nor even if it were possible that such could be the case, is it at all likely that a granite arch which once upheld such an immense weight would in one day give way under the simple pressure of the atmosphere; or, even if we were to adopt the improbable supposition that the mass of granite composing this mountain had been formed at a great dep th below the present sur face oflhe earth, and forced up bodily by plu tonic action, there is as little reason to believe that any cavities could exist. In fact they are never found under granites. On looking at the surface ofthe ground at this place, there is no appearance to indicate any general sinking of the mass. At the top of the ridge, where the fractures are observable across it, there is no variation in the slope of the denression or broken parts. Immediately below it, where the mountain has great steepness, equal at least to an inclination of forty-five degrees, where the line of fracture is parallel to the direction of the ridge, the surface is sunk suddenly ten or 15 feet. This state ofthings, however, would be inevitably produced at such an inclination by the force of gravity alone, causing the parts separated by the shock to sink somewhat as they descend the mountain side. Lower down where the steepness is not so great, the eleva tion much exceed the depressions.s The same is true of the appearance on the side ofthe branch, where the surface is almost level for several hundred yards ; and I think any one surveying the whole of the disturbed ground will be brought to ‘he final conclusion that there has been a general upheaval rather than a depression, and that the irregularities now observable are due to a force-acting pow er below, which has during the shocks une qually raised different parts of the surface.— One of the earlier geologists, while this science was in its infancy, would probably have as cribed these phenomena to the presence under neath the surface of a bed of pyrites, bitumin ous shale, or some other substance capable of spontaneous combustion, which had taken fire from being penetrated by astream of water or some other accidental cause. If such a com bustion were to take place at a considerable depth below the surface, and should to a con siderable extent, heat the strata above, they would thereby be expanded and thickened so as to be forced upward. Such an expansion, though it would be less in granite than in some other strata, as shown by your fellow-towns man, Col. Totten, would nevertheless, if the heated mass were thick and the elevation of temperature considerable, be sufficient to raise the surface as much as it appears to have been elevated ; such expansion, however, being ne cessarily from its nature very gradual, would not account for the various violent shocks nor for the irregular action at the surface. On the oilier hand, if the burning mass were near the surface, so as to cause explosion fay means of gasses generated from time to time, it is scare ly inconceivable that such gases, while escap ing through fissures oflhe rock above, should fail to be observed, inasmuch aa a great volume would be necessary to supply the requisite a mount of force, nor is it at all conceivable that such a state of things would not be accompa nied by a sensible change of temperature at the surface. The difficulty in the way of such a supposition is greatly increased when we con sider the form ofthe long narrow belt acted on, and from the recurrence of the sudden vio lent shocks after long intervals of quiet. Such a hypothesis in fact 1 do not regard as entitled to more respect than another one which was suggested to me at the place. As it has no other merit than that oforiginality, I should not have thought it worth repealing hut for the state ment of fact made in support of it. While I was observing the locality, my atten tion was directed to an elderly man who was gliding with a stealthy step through the forest, carrying on his left shoulder a rifle, and in his right hand a smalt hoe, such as the diggers of ginseng use. His glances, alternating between the distant ridges and the plants about his feet, showed that while looking for deer he was not unmindful of the wants of the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire. On my questioning him in relation to the appearances, he said that he had observed them often after the different shocks; that the appearances were changed each time at the surface ; that I ought to see it just after a shock, before the rain and leaves had filled the cracks, adding that it did “ not show at all now.” He expressed a decided opinion that the convulsions were produced by silver under the surface. On my remarking that I knew that that metal in the hands of men was an effective agent in cleaving rocks and ex cavating the earth, yet I had not supposed it could exert such an influence when deeply bu ried under ground, he staled in support of his opinion that one of his neighbors had on the northern side ofthe mount?’n found a spring hot enough to boil an egg. He also added that some three years since he had seen on the mountain, two miles to the north of this one, but in the direction seemingly of the line of force, a blazing fire for several hours, rising up sometimes as high as the tops of the trees and going out suddenly for a moment at a time at frequent intervals. He declared that at the distance of a mile from where he was the bright ness was sufficient to enable him to see small objects. Several other persons in the vicinity I found subsequently professed to have seen the same light from different points of view, and described it in a similar manner. As no one of them seems to have thought enough of the matterto induce him to attempt to approach the place, though some persons represented that they had subsequently found a great quan tity of “cinder”at the point, the statement of fact is not perhaps entitled to more weight than the hypothesis it was intended to support. It is probable, however, that some difficulty will attend any explanation that can be offered in relation to the phenomena at this place. — We know that the elevation of the surface of the earth is at many places undergoing a change, so gradual as not to be observed at any one time. Some ofthe northwestern parts of Europe, for example, are experiencing a slow upheaval equal to five or six feet in a cen tury, while on the coast of Greenland the sub sideral, or depression, is such that even the ig norant inhabitants have learned that it is not prudent for them to build their huts near the edge of the water. Similar changes are ob served in various other places, but they obvi ously bear no analogy to the facts under con sideration. Again, it is well known that earth quakes from time to time agitate violently por tions of the earth’s surface of greater or less extent; that while one single shock has per manently raised two or three feet the coast of Chili for several hundred miles, others have elevated or depressed comparatively small spaces. It usually happens, however, that when the shock is so forcible at one point as to break the solid strata of the globe, the surround ing parts are violently agitated for a considera ble distance. In the present instance, however the shock for half a mile at least in length and for the breadth of one hundred yards, is such as to cleave a mass of granite of seemingly in definite extent, and so quick and sudden as to displace the smallest fragments on the surface ; and \etat the house of Mr. Rogers, less than halfa mile distant, a slight trembling only is felt, not sufficient to excite alarm, while at a distance of a few miles, though the sound is heard, no agitation of the ground is felt.— Should we adopt the view of those who main tain that all the central parts of the earth are in a state effusion, and that violent movements of parts of the melted mass give rise to the shocks which are felt at the surface, theexplana tion of this and similar phenomena is still not free from difficulty. Upon the supposition that the solid crust of the globe has no greater thickness than that assumed by Humboldt, some twenty-odd miles, it would scarcely seem that such a crust, composed rocky strata, would have the requisite degree of elasticity to pro pagate a violent shock to so small a surface without a greater agitation of the surrounding parts than is sometimes observed. Volcanic eruptions, however, take place through every variety of strata ; but these volcanoes are rare ly if ever isolated ; on the contrary, not only the volcanoes now active, but such as have been in a state of rest from the earliest historic era, are distributed along certain great lines of force, or belts, the limits of which seem to have been pretty well defined by geologists. But I am not aware of there being any evidence af forded of volcanic action, either in recent or remote geological ages, within hundreds of miles of this locality. Even if such exists be neath the sea, it must be at least two hundred miles distant. If then we attribute these con vulsions to the same causes which have else where generated earthquakes and volcanoes, is it probable that this is the only point in the Al leghany range thus acted on? The fact that nothing else of the.kind has been, as far as I know, published to the world, is by no means conclusive, since the disturbances here have not only been unnoticed by writers, but are even unknown to nine tenths of those persons living within fifty miles of the spot. Is it then improbable that different points of the great mountain range are sensibly acted on from year to year? It is true that this may be the only locality affected. It might be supposed that there is at this place a mass of rock, separated wholly or partially from the adjoining strata, reaching to a great depth, and resting on a fluid basin, the agitation of which occasionally would give a shock to this mass. Though such be not at all probable, yet it is conceivable that such a mass might possess the requisite shape ; and if at the top, instead of being a single piece, it should have a number of irregular fragments resting on it below the surface, then it might be capable of producing inequalities observable after each successive convulsion. From the form, however, of the belt acted on, as well as from other considerations, such a hypothesis is only possible, not probable. It would perhaps more readily be conceded that there was in the soMd strata below an oblong opening, or wide fissure, connected with the fluid basin below, and filled either with melted lava, or more probably with elastic gas, con densed under vast pressure, so that the occa sional agitations below would be propagated to the surface at this spot. Or if we suppose that steam, at a high heat, or some of the other elas tic gaseous substances, should escape through fissures from the depths below but have their course obstructed near the surface, so as to ac cumulate from lime to time, until their force was sufficient to overpower the resistance, then a succession of periodic explosions might oc cur. Such a state of things would be analo gous to the manner in which Mr. Lyell ac counts for the Geysers, or Intermittent Hot Springs, in Iceland, except that the intervals between the explosions in this instance aia ranch greater than in the other. It is easy to conceive that the shocks of some former earth quakes may have produced the requisite con dition in the strata at that place. Or, should we reject all such suppositions, it might be worth while to inquire whether this and similar phenomena may not be due to electricity ? The opinion seems to have become general with men of science, that there are great cur rents of electricity circulating in the shell of the globe, mainly if not entirely in directions parallel to the magnetic equator. The obser vations and experiments of Mr. Fox have, in the opinion of a geologist so eminent as Mr. Lyell, established the fact that there are elec tro-magnetic currents along metalliferous veins. Taking these things to be true, it may well be that the elec!, city in its passage should be col lected and concentrated along certain great veins. During any commotion in the groat ocean of electricity, the currents along such lines, or rather where they are interrupted, might give rise to sensible shocks. The ex. ceediugly quick, vibratory motion, often ob served on such occasions, seems analogous to some of the observed effects of electricity. In the present instance the line of force appears to coincide with the direction of the magnetic needle. It is also represented that the sound accompanying the convulsions is heard more distinctly at Waynesville, tweutv miles due south, than it is within two or three miles to the east or west of the locality, seeming to im ply that the force may be exerted in a long line, though it is more intense at a particular point. In adverting, however, to the manner in which the phenomena observed at this place might possibly bo accounted for, it is not my expec tation to be able to arrive at their cause. One whose attention is mainly directed to political affairs, and who at most gets but an occasional glimpse of a book of science, ought neither to assume, nor to be expedeu to accomplish this. I have adopted the above mode of making sug gestions as to the causes, solely to enable me to explain the facts observed in a more intelli gible manner than I could do by a mere detail of the appearances and events as narrated. Perhaps those whose minds are chiefly occu pied with the consideration of such subjects will find an easy solution of these phenomena. Should this letter be instrumental in eliciting information in relation to similar disturbances elsewhere in the Alleghany range, then its pub lication may answer some valuable purpose. Very respectfully, yours, T. L. Clingman, Not True. —A report from the west, that Mayor Singer,paymaster U. S. A., his wife and sister-in-law, had been murdered and rob bed in Saline county, Mo., of $160,000. Cljronide anb Sentinel. \/ AXTG-T7 ST A G aT~ SATURDAY MORNING, DEC. 3, 1848. Vermont Cattle by Railroad to Boston. The construction of the Vermont Central Railroad has enabled the beef-growers of the Green Mountain State to furnish the Bosto nians with their fat cattle, without the loss of any of their flesh, or the exposure to dangers, by (he long journey on the hoof. A train of forty-four cars, laden with them, from the cen tre of Vermont, arrived at Boston last week. We do not expect to wait many years before the graziers on the “green muuniains ” .of Tennessee, will send down to this flourishing, manufacturing city, trains of forty-four cars, freighted with fat cattle, hogs and sheep. Rely upon it, Augusta is soon to be awakened from her Rip Van Winkle sleep of halfa century. Her young men are full of life and energy, strong in intellect and fully comprehend her unrivalled advantages for extended manufac tures and trade. They see that provisions and breadstuff's will soon be exceedingly cheap at this point, where the whole water of the Sa vannah river, at an ordinary stage, may be used to propel machinery, having a clear fall of some thirty-five feet. Most of this fall is above the reach of the highest floods. It is a great mistake to w r ait for northern capitalists and me chanics to come here, improve and use this invaluable hydraulic power. Far belter that Georgia capital, industry and enterprise should achieve this high honor, and reap the certain reward. A single steam engine in Manchester drives seventy-five thousand cotton spindles. The product of this exclusive spinning mill is usu ally all exported. And it is worthy of remark that the first arrivals of each new crop of cotton at Manchester, are shipped from this city. We stated yesterday that over 157,000,000 pounds of cotton yarn is annually exported from Great Britain. Whilst two enterprising citizens are erecting mills which will grind 500,000 bushels of Georgia wheat a year, cannot our excellent friend of the Cherokee Rose plantation put up a Spinning Mill that will twist into thread every bag of cotton grown in Richmond coun ty, and thereby more than double its value in this market ? If he wiH investigate this matter, he will be satisfied that his women can earn him twice as much clear profit by tending spinning jennies, as they now do. We think there is as little sense in objecting to negroes working in factories and at trades as there would be in objecting to their eating, and wearing clothes. Their eating, being clad and working, do not degrade white men if they perform similar operations. There is no necessity for mixing up black and white operatives in the same shop or factory. They can be kept quite as separate and distinct in mechanical as in agricultural pursuits. No one whose good opinion is worth having, ever thought the less of a farmer or mechanic be cause he held his own plow, or swung his own sledge hammer. So long as Providence shall render such employments necessary to human subsistence, civilized communities will be forced to regard them as honorable as they are useful. Honest industry in the field and work-shop is rising fast in public esteem ; and men that give profitable employment to' their fellows, of whatever color or condition, are justly re garded as benefactors of the human family. Each one can do something to make the world a little better for his existence: and the world is learniag to despise all such as refuse to give an effort for that purpose. Hessian Ply. The Martinsburg, (Va.,) Chronicle says : “We are sorry to learn that the fly is commit ting awful depredations among the wheat : many fields, vve are told, are almost completely ruined.” A preventive of all injury from this most destructive insect has been known in this coun ty at least fifteen years ; but there is so little intercourse and reading among the three or four millions of planters and farmers in the United States, that probably not one in a hun dred has ever heard of the remedy. So long as they shall refuse to read the cheap agricul tural journals which abound in every quarter ofthe Union, we cannot see how the annual loss often or fifteen million bushels of wheat by the fly, is to be avoided. The remedy is in late seeding so that wheat comes up after the season of the short lived in sect has past. It i° not enough that one wheat grower puts in his seed late to be certain of an escape in Spring, as well as Autumn. For tiiis, all should adopt the practice ; otherwise some will raise more flies than wheat, and the winged depredators will prey on the late sown crops of distant fields, in April and Ma}'. One of the most successful wheat growers in this vicinity has just now finished seeding. He harvested 25 bushels per acre the season now past, on land sown on the 7lh of December.— Like all other living beings, whether animal or vegetable, wheat plants sluw their keep. Feed skilfully, plow well, and plant seasonably, and wheat culture will be a sure and profitable bu siness. State Bank of Illinois. —The charter of this bank expired on the 31st ult. The Spring field Journal says that the Governor of Illi nois, by authority of the last liquidation law, has appointed Messrs. N. H. Ridgely, Uri Manley, and John Calhoun, trustees, for fi nally closing its affairs. The Board of Direc tors have assigned to these trustees all the ef fects of every kind of the Bank, and have given them full power to do every thing neces sary for the performance of the trust. The Supply of Flour, —The quantity of flour left at tide-water on the Hudson, from the opening ofthe navigation to the close of the third week of November, 1848, (including the cargoes of wheat reduced into flour,) is less by 1,051,127 barrels than the amount that reached tide-water in the same period last year. Powder Mill Explosion. —A despatch from Cincinnati, Nov. 27, says : —“ The extensive powder mill near Xenia, (Ohio,) exploded, on Saturday afternoon. Two men were killed, and others seriously wounded. The Viennolse Children — Were greeted last night by a large and fash ionable audience, winning for themselves gold en opinions and calling forth the most enthusi astic applause. They appear to-night for the last time in this city, and we doubt not will draw a crowded house, so fascinating have been their performances. There is perhaps no place better adapted to the study of character than the theatre, wheth er we confine our observation to the actors or the audience, and we regret that the rudeness of a portion of the latter is sometimes calcular ted to produce any other than favorable impres sions of their breeding. It should never be forgotten by those that visit the theatre, that a well bred gentleman is equally careful of his deportment there as elsewhere. An Address before the Amosophic and Phi-Gamma Societies, Cokesbury In stitute, S. C.: by A. Means, A.M., M. D. We have received from the author a neatly printed copy of an address with the above title, which we have read with considerable interest. The leading idea advanced is the duty of Chris tians, and especially of Teachers of Christiani ty, to be well-informed in the natural Sciences and keep up with their progress, as a means of defence against the most insidious and effec tive attacks of Infidelity. The subject is han dled with Dr. Means’ well known ability. Alabama Senators. —The Governor has appointed the Hon. Bknj. Fitzpatrick to fill the vacancy of the Hon. Dixon H. Lew is, and the Hon. W. R. King to fill that of the Hon. A. P. Bagby. Gold-Hunting- in California. The mania for gold-hunting, which seems to have taken complete possession of the Cali fornians, had not in the least abated, according to our latest advices. The following letter, which has been politely furnished the N. Y. Tribune by Messrs. Grinnei.l, Minturn &Co. gives some idea of the difficulty in which all vessels on the coast are placed, on account of the desertion of their men to seek quicker for tunes on the banks of the Rio de las Plumas: Monterey, Sept. 15, 1848. Messrs. Grinnell , Minturn Co. Sirs —l embrace this opportunity to inform you of my situation, which is bad enough. All hands have left me but two ; they will stay till the cargo is landed and ballast in, then they will go. Both mates will leave in a few days, and then I will have only the two boys, and I am fearful that they will run. I have got all land ed but 900 barrels; on Monday I shall get off ballast if the weather is good. There’s no help to be got at any price. The store ship that sailed from here ten days ago took three of my men at SIOO per month ; there is nothing that anchors here but what loses their men. I have had a hard time in landing the cargo; I go in the boat every l«ad. If 1 can get it on shore I shall save the freight. As for the ship she will lay here for a long time, for there’s not the least chance of getting a crew. The coast ers are giving SIOO per month. All the ships at San Francisco have stripped and laid up. The Flora, of New London, is at San Francis co; all left. You probably have heard of the situation of things here. A sailor will be up at the mines for two months, work on his own account, and come down with from two to three thousand dollars, and those that go in parties do much better. I have been offered S2O per day to go, by one of the first men here, and work one year. It is impossible forme to give you any idea of the gold that is got here. Yours, respectfully, Christopher Allen, Captain of the ship Izaak Walton. Negro Representation.— Mr. Louis Math ieu (says the London Sun.) the member from Guadaloupe, to the French Assembly, is a jet black Negro, an exaggerated specimen of his race. When admitted to the Assembly as a member, the Hon. Representative of all the ignorance of all Guadaloupe, (the hon. gentle man can neither read nor write,) took nisseat at the extreme left, among the Red Republi cans. Trutns Inadvertently Spoken.— The Democratic papers, finding nothing to crow over, have taken to philosophy for consolation in their adversity. The Trenton Daily News, for instance, thus soliloquizes. It is a capital thing to be beaten occasional ly ;it teaches many useful lessons. It humbles party pride ; it makes politicians less arrogant, and more disposed to defer to the opinions of others. Presbyterian Synod* The Presbyterian Synod of Georgia and Florida is now in session in this city. We un derstand that there are some fifty Clergymen in attendance. On Sunday last the Presbyte rian. Baptist, and Methodist pulpits were occu pied by the distinguished divines of this Church. The Rev. Dr. Talmage officiated in the Bap tist Church. In the Methodist, we listened to an eloquent and polished discourse from the Rev. Mr. Rodgers, of Augusta. His subject “ Formalism in Religion.” It was treated with great power, and we do not remember ever to haveheerd so many home truths grouped, and so eloquently enforced, in one discourse, Mr. Rodgers is an ornament to his profession, and possesses rare qualifications of intellect, edu cation. and person, to render him an attractive and useful pulpit orator. On Sabbath after noon, the Rev. Mr. Hoyt delivered in the Pres byterian Church, an eulogy on the character of the late Pastor of that Church, the venerable Dr. Goulding. We did not hear it, but learn that it was a very effective and feeling dis course. In the evening of the same day, a missionary meeting was held at the Presbyterian Church, on which occasion was read by Mr. Rodgers, a report on the operations of the Foreign Mis sions of the Church, giving a highly encour aging and satisfactory account of the condition of that branch of the spiritual business of the Church. The assembly was also addressed by the Rev. Mr. Rankin.. late a Missionary in Northern India, and the Rev. Mr. Lanneau, for ten years a Missionary of the Church in Pales tine. The addresses of these gentlemen were highly interesting, and were listened to with marked attention by the auditory. —Columbus Times, 28th ult. The steamship Hermann, which went 1200 miles of her sixteen day passage out with only one engine and sails, (the larboard engine hav ing become unserviceable (has gone into dock at Southampton for repairs. The passengers and freight for Bremen were forwarded via. London, at the expense of the company, in an English steamer. The German mails were sent forward by the Southamptonpostmaster. Capt. Crabtree thinks he may probably be able to leave for New-York on the 7th ofDecember. From Brazil. —The N. Y. Express says we are glad to learn that the government of Brazil are making strong efforts to break up the slave trade. The effort meets with strong opposi lion on the part of some among the wealthy and selfish residents, both Brazilians and Portu guese —but between right and power, it is hop ed that this infamous traffic will be stopped. A letter from Rio, Oct. 2. says : “An entire change of Ministry took place a few days since—the present being entirely of the opposite party. We look for trouble in the provinces, but think nething serious need I be apprehended.” TELE&RA.PHIC INTEL LI OB Hot. Transmitted Chr« alc | e * Senti,,, Charleston, Dec. 1, 1843 A letter received in Washington by Cover or Brown, of Miss., from F. L. Clairborne. !r Natchez, relates a conversation said to h n taken place between Gen. Taylor and S Boyd since the election, in wnich Gen. T lor is represented as having earnestly declared that when the North attempted to interfere with the slave question, he was for drawing the sword and throwing away the scabbard* The above is published at the North, and causing great excitement. No Steamer arrived up to Friday noon. More Common Sense. The Journal Sf Messenger disposes of ti le proposed Cotton Planters’ Convention, to raise the prices of cotton, in the following manner Cotton Planters' Convention. —Certain the public presses are moving in f ;iV or us Cotton Planters’ Convention, for the purnm! of raising prices and of contributing to the fr e . * e ral relief and benefit of the hard-fisted tillers r the soil. Foremost in the movement wo fi n °d the Charleston Mercury, the Augusta Constiti tionalist and sundry similar prints. It j* a gular fact that editors have periodical spasms,! favor ofconventions, and it is worthy of no| " that these gentlemen are all of the South Cart) 8 lina school in politics. We need not go farther back than the days of the great nullification movement in our sister Slate. That was com. menced with a convention. The country was then prosoerous, labor was well rewarded, and cotton and every other species of agricultural produce brought remunerating prices. Tim Carolina politicians wished to improve upon this state of aftirs and kept up the excitement until they succeeded in passing the compro mise act and destroying the protection which had been given to the American mechanics, la borers, artizans and manufacturers. Time passed on ; but instead of the improvement which had been predicted, prices receded, la. bor was unrewarded and general stagnation and pecuniary ruin was the consequence. The wiseacres of South Carolina, unwilling to ac knowledge their previous blunder, gravely suggested the propriety of holding a series of conventions. Every man must remember t'ae conventions of 1837, ’3B and ’39 held in Charleston, Augus ta and other cities. We all remember the Cot ton Convention in Macon, in 1839, held for the especial purpose of increasing the price of the great staple. It was gotten up by a few men who held cotton in Liverpool and who wished to fill their own pockets particularly. True it turned out to bean arrant humbug. The plan ters appointed delegates, attended the conven tion, heard speeches and gravely resolved that England had immense power, both in her peo ple and her Banks, all of which was wielded against the producers of the raw material. They resolved that England must have our cotton and that as the price depended upon the great Jaw of supply and demand, if the plan ters would withhold their cotton, the price must advance ! Gen. Jas. Hamilton, Henry Shultz, the distinguished founder of Hamburg and the Hero of a Thirty year's war against the State Bank, Absalom H. Chappell and other distin guished Arithmeticians figured the thing out according to Dilworth, and with all due gravity settled the affairs of the nation and of the world. They said “ let there be light” and thought that light would follow. Unfortunately the price of cotton did not seem to be affected se riously by the Macon Convention In 1840, however, the British Parly with Van Buren at their head, were “tumbled into the Potomac” and in the very anticipation of a change of the industrial policy of the country, the manufactories of New England resumed operations. The demand for cotton was in creased in consequence, and prices began to revive. In 1842, the New Tariff was levied. American industry was protected, the increas ed demand for home consumption was nearly doubled and cotton gradually advanced to ten cents per lb.! At this point, the South Carolina policy was again introduced by Mr. Polk ; and his follow ers were placed in power under the promise that they would work wonders for the planters and for every other interest. A new tariff was adopted and in less than four years we find cot ton down to 4rl cents, and the very men who cheated and deceived the planters are impu dently calling upon them to hold anolher con vention and gravely resolve that cotton outfit to bring higher prices I Verily this is an age of wonders, and these are remarkable men who can thus deceive and delude people with impunity. If England has power, and this no man of sense will dispute, how are we to check it ? Can we do so by conventions, paper buffeting and pot-house res olutions? Certainly not. How then are we to accomplish it? Simply by building up out home system of industry, by cherishing our own laborers, mechanics and manufacturers. Can this be done while we reduce the duties on foreign goods and allow the Foreign Me chanic and the Foreign Manufacturer to un dersell our own products, or to reduce prices to a ruinously low rate 1 Every blow struck at the industry of the country ; at the mechanics, la boring men and manufacturers recoils with re doubled force upon the producer of the materi; —in other words, upon the cotton planter. So far from the planter being jealous of the manu facturer, he ought to do every thing in fik power to build him up and make him prospe rous. An increased demand of one hundred thousand kales in the United Slates would add at least one cent per pound to the value of the entire cotton crop of Georgia. The true poli cy of the planter then is to adopt a system for the support of American manufacturers and to sustain only the men who sustain that policy— These temporary efforts are of no avail. Con ventions will accomplish nothing. If our plan ters will not diversify their labor, if they win not themselves embark in manufacturing pur suits, their only hope of safely must consist in their support in some national policy whica will build up and sustain a successful comp® ll tion to existing British interests. They in usE support American manufactories. American mechanics and American Industry in every shape. The Governor of Ohio.—A Washing' o ’ l letter says: “ We have seen a letter from a leading - etl tleman in Ohio, which states that there • !,e ' er ; probability that the failure of the cities 0! Cm cinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland to regime their votes, will be fatal to their legality*' which case Weller will have the majority- . Whigs, however, declare, in that event they will retire from the Legislature, an prevent Weller from being installed. c not know upon whom the duties of Gove would devolve during the interregnum. . present Governor’s time expires on the bna December, and it is probable the 1 re»i 1 the Senate would act as Governor until a one was installed. From the Baltimore Sun.—By Telegraph News from Santa Pe> Sr. Louis, Nov. w- The steamer J. M. White, which ""J? ence day from the Missouri river, bring* « » J from Santa Fe to the 18th escort had arrived, and Al | vVeil days before proceeding to Ure,, • The times were dull at Santa I e. and g sold at very low prices. commandant Col. Washington, the military vvas had arrived and was well r ® 0 f bis already making suitable disposiu forces. . „,tnntpd a P etl ' The people in convention adop iza . | tion to Congress asking lor a B £® edy an | firmly I tionof a territorial civil government, *
